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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Mike Holmes has been doing commercials and informative how-to videos for Allstate as part of their Good Life from Allstate Campaign. In this latest installment of videos, Mike shows viewers how to maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and how to maintain your dryer vents.

I originally saw this story back in June, but let it pass because there was so much going on with Mike Holmes and because Mike was not directly connected. But when I saw this video posted on the PinkWood Facebook page, I knew that it was completely worth mentioning.

If you don't know what PinkWood is, you don't watch enough Holmes on Homes. Mike loves coated lumbers (in fact, he even wrote a column about it not too long ago!) PinkWood is a specially treated coated lumber that is mold resistant and fire retardant. As you'll see from this video, when exposed to extreme temperatures, PinkWood "bubbles" instead of burns, giving firefighters (and you) more time. It's truly a superior building material that Mike Holmes not only endorses, but also uses.

About a month ago, Holmes Approved builder Campbell Custom Homes in Saskatoon showcased a pink house made entirely from PinkWood in an effort to raise money for a breast health center. Although Mike couldn't personally attend the opening, Mike Jr. made an excellent fill-in for his dad to show their continued support. The home stands as the first Mike Holmes Approved home in Saskatchewan.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Coming soon, there will be some new additions to the Make It Right webstore. It was announced today that several new t-shirt designs are on their way. Photos of the new designs were posted on Mike's Facebook page with a request for fan feedback. The designs include vintage renditions of the Holmes logo, along with several new incarnations of the Holmes bulldog, a takeoff of Mike's famous right-bicep tattoo, and a shirt asking the question "What Would Mike Holmes Do?".

I personally love the new designs. Being a simple girl, I love the classic vintage "Holmes" shirt and its abstract counterpart, but the other designs are great too! I would hope that the Make It Right webstore would include some female/babydoll style tees with these designs as well. Either way, I foresee myself spending a lot of money in the near future...

Mike's birthday is less than a week away and the Holmes Spot has been busy cooking up something awesome to commemorate this very special occasion!

Since revealing even the smallest snippet of the audio portion of Mike's birthday gift would instantly give away the surprise, the Holmes Spot has been releasing short video sneak peeks to pique your interest!

In case you were wondering, quite a few of Mike's team members "drop by" to wish him happy birthday in this very special gift, including Martin the plumber and Frank the electrician! As you can see, they both have their work cut out for them!

To see Mike's big 25x2 birthday present in all of its glory, visit the Holmes Spot on August 3, 2013!

Friday, July 26, 2013

Can you believe that it's been an entire year since the last season of All American Handyman premiered on the DIY network? And while were at it, can you believe that Mike's new series Holmes Makes It Right will be premiering in the US in just a little over a week on the DIY network? But more on that later...

Recently the DIY network released a gallery of 44 photos from all three seasons of the All American Handyman series. Some of the photos are repeats, but a lot of the photos are new - well, they're new to me, which means they're probably new to you too! The gallery is called On Location With Mike Holmes, and includes some insightful captions and many behind the scenes photos with previous contestants and crew members.

Here's a few of my favorites...

Oh Mike, you always know what time it is... And if you don't, then you better get a bigger watch.

There's just something about seeing Mike Holmes in front of a backdrop of an American flag that just seems so wrong... and yet it just seems so right!

Now here's a sandwich I wouldn't mind jumping in the middle of...

For more picture candy without my silly commentary, visit the gallery on the DIY network.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Mike Holmes has been seeing a lot of flooded basements lately. With the catastrophic floods in Alberta and Toronto last month, Mike has been busy touring areas affected by torrential rains and giving advice to struggling homeowners on how to rebuild. In this article, Mike advises people on what to do when their basement becomes less like a basement and more like a swimming pool. Regardless of the reason why your basement floods, be in mother nature or a burst pipe, it's important to get the water out and let the space completely dry before rebuilding. It takes patience and the right pros to get the job done right. Skipping important steps may result in future hazards, such as mold, which can be even more expensive to fix.

Mike Holmes: Get the pros to clean after basement floods

Forget DIY, save money and problems in the future by doing it right the first time

By Mike Holmes, For Postmedia News July 24, 2013

After a decade, Mike Holmes still cares because he knows the work he, his crew and others do makes a real difference to the people they help.

Photograph by: Alex Schuldt/The Holmes Group, Postmedia News

With all the extreme weather lately, flooding is on a lot of peoples’ minds. I’ve been visiting flood zones in Calgary and High River to help with the recovery there. But flooding isn’t always Mother Nature’s fault.
A drain can back up, the sump pump could stop working or a pipe can burst. Or, just leaving a tap on and forgetting about it could cause a flood. And where does that water end up? In your basement.
In the past, when basements were left unfinished, a flood wouldn’t be so devastating. You drain the water, replace anything that was damaged — which wasn’t much since there weren’t any finished floors and walls to worry about — decontaminate the area and then let the space dry out. But today, things are different.
If you have a basement, it’s most likely finished or you want it finished. But if you ever have a flood, or even a leak, a finished basement can turn a bad situation into a nightmare.
Being quick to rip everything out and replace it sets you up for bigger problems — and expenses — down the road.
Before you start rebuilding your basement, make sure you do two things: resolve the source of the flooding, and ensure your basement is completely dry.
If the systems in your home caused the flood, like a backed-up drain or a malfunctioning sump pump, there are accessible solutions. But if you live on a flood plain, the solutions become more complex and expensive. So what should you do? Leave the basement unfinished. I know that might seem harsh, but that’s the reality.
We’re getting more extreme weather which, in some cases, means more precipitation. If you live on flood plains, in a flood way or near a river or stream, the risk of repeated flooding in your home is high. Ask yourself: How many basements do you want to pay for?
If water is getting into your home, you need to deal with it immediately because there’s the potential for mould growth — especially if your basement is finished.
All it takes is 24 hours for mould to grow. Most people would just use bleach to clean mould, but that’s wrong. Any surface with over 10 square feet of mould should be cleaned only by licensed professionals.
Mould is a huge safety hazard. If you don’t clean it properly mould spores can become airborne, contaminate other areas and end up in your lungs. That’s why you hire only qualified professionals for the cleanup and rebuild.
For example, a professional company can remove all the water and saturated contents from your basement, and decontaminate the space. Flood water often contains backed-up sewage. Make sure everything is free of bacteria before rebuilding.
If your electrical panel was under water it needs to be replaced — every receptacle and switch. Any corrosion in your home’s electrical can lead to fire safety issues. A licensed electrical contractor must examine your home and sign off on it before the electricity can be turned back on.
Also, get rid of all the flooring in your basement, including the subfloor, along with damaged drywall and insulation.
Most contractors will remove only one foot of drywall above the flood line. But moisture can creep up behind the surface. I’d rather have it all removed and replaced. Then let the wall cavity completely dry before you install new insulation and drywall. A moisture meter can tell you when it’s dry enough to start rebuilding.
Before you do, call your insurance adjuster and explain the situation and what you need. You might want a structural review depending on the severity of the flooding. Hire mould remediation contractors and make sure your indoor air is safe. An IAQ (indoor air quality) meter, measures spore counts in your home — something every flood victim should know.
Patience is key when it comes to rebuilding, especially after a flood. Take your time and do it right, or you’ll be paying for it again and again.
Catch Mike Holmes in his new series, Holmes Makes It Right Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

In 12 short days, it will be Mike's 50th 25x2 birthday! The Holmes Spot thinks that's a very BIG deal! In order to celebrate another decade of Mike Holmes, The Holmes Spot has been working for the past year to create something very special! What is it? Can't tell you, it's a surprise! But unlike last year's big birthday surprise, I cannot play any audio sneak peeks because even a few seconds would instantly reveal what it is that I am doing!

Last year, I gave several short audio snippets as teasers to Mike's 24.5 x 2 birthday present. This year, since that won't work for the reasons I've stated above, I've decided to release some selective video clips. I've removed the audio track from the video, but left the sound effects in, which are OK for you to hear.

Enjoy! And tune into the Holmes Spot on Mike's birthday, August 3, to see the monstrosity in action!

Saturday, July 20, 2013

For several years now, Mike Holmes has been developing a community in the town of Okotoks in Alberta. The proposed Wind Walk community has had quite a few bumps along the way due to many concerns, including water usage and legal issues. Here is the latest chapter in the Wind Walk saga. The town of Okotoks is taking its case to the Supreme Court of Canada to have some ruling overturned about something... it's pretty hard to glean exactly what the issue is from the article. Something about challenging the community plan, and the town not getting their paper work in on time and not being allowed to submit a complaint due to legal technicalities...? Whatever... it will all be interesting to find out how the Wind Walk saga ends.

| Posted: Friday, Jul 19, 2013 04:03 pmThe Town of Okotoks is taking its legal fight against the proposed Wind Walk development to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Town of Okotoks is taking its legal fight over the Mike Holmes-led Wind Walk development to Canada’s highest court.

Okotoks town council voted 5-2 on July 15 to ask the Supreme Court of Canada to hear its case over whether it should be allowed to challenge the MD of Foothills’ 2010 decision approving Wind Walk’s area structure plan (ASP).

The issue is whether the Town faced a six-month timeframe to file an application to have the courts declare the ASP invalid. Both the Court of Queen’s Bench and the Alberta Court of Appeal ruled Okotoks did not file its case in time, while Okotoks disagreed it faced any such timeframe.

“Our legal counsel has stated that it shouldn’t matter about six months,” said Okotoks Mayor Bill Robertson. “Because it’s a bad law, it should be challenged.”

The case has been in front of the courts for almost three years.

In 2010, Okotoks appealed MD council’s approval of the ASP to the Court of Queen’s Bench saying the plan conflicts with the intermunicipal development plan in place between the two municipalities. The Town sought to have the decision declared invalid. In January 2012, a judge refused to hear the appeal because he determined Okotoks did not file an application to the courts within the required timeframe. The Town then appealed this decision to the Alberta Court of Appeals, which ruled against Okotoks last month.

Meanwhile, the legal bills are adding up.

Okotoks municipal manager Rick Quail estimated the Town spent $28,000 on taking the case to the court of appeal. He estimated it will cost between $5,000 and $10,000 just to ask the Supreme Court to hear the case.

As well, the MD has racked up substantial legal fees through the process so far. Exact numbers have not yet been released.

Robertson defended the cost as justifiable to protect the Town and stand up for its rights.

While council is now taking the case to the Supreme Court, there is no guarantee it will proceed because the court has the right to choose whether or not it will hear the matter.

For a case to be accepted by the Supreme Court, it must be of interest at a national level.

Robertson said the Town believes its case meets this requirement because municipalities should not have to face timeframes to challenge bylaws others pass infringing on intermunicipal agreements.

“It’s a really awkward position because all the way along we’ve had some great partnerships with the MD of Foothills and I believe they’re disappointed that we’re pursuing this, but it comes down to what we feel was a violation of our intermunicipal development agreement,” said Robertson.

The proposed development, on the south side of Highway 7 just outside Okotoks, includes 458 single family and multi-family homes as well as a small commercial site. Plans approved by the MD allow the development’s first phase to proceed with groundwater wells and a pipeline must be in place before the second and third phases can proceed.

Robertson said the Town has always argued large residential developments in the Okotoks area should be located within the town.

He also reiterated the Town’s concerns over the potential impact the development could have on Okotoks’ water supply

“Ultimately we’re doing the best to protect the citizens of Okotoks,” he said.

Friday, July 19, 2013

The 2013 Ontario Spyder Roadster Rally starts today July 19 and continues all weekend until July 21.

The purpose of the rally is twofold. One, the event raises money for the Hospital for Sick Children Foundation (see http://www.sickkids.ca/ for more information). And two, because it's fun!

Mike Holmes loves his toys, and one of his toys is a Can Am Spyder 3-wheel motorcycle. In the video above, he states he likes to ride Spyders because they're comfortable and they're bigger and safer than your standard two wheel motorcycle. Mike's enthusiasm for Spyders goes back for several years, as he was also part of the 2012 and 2011 rally (see photos below).

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Building a new home from the foundation up can be an exciting but challenging adventure for any homeowner. In this article, Mike Holmes talks about what you need to know when building new, from financing and construction loans, to "soft" fees you need to be aware of before the first shovel hits the ground.

Mike Holmes: What you need to know when building new

Don't depend on construction financing alone

After a decade, Mike Holmes still cares because he knows the work he, his crew and others do makes a real difference to the people they help.

Photograph by: Alex Schuldt/The Holmes Group, Postmedia News

Most homeowners think building their own house is exciting — and it is. But building new also has its surprises. What’s the big one? How much it actually ends up costing.
There’s a difference between hard costs and soft costs when it comes to a new build. Contractors talk about the hard costs — that’s the cost of the actual build, things like materials, equipment and trades. They don’t usually include taxes in their quotes so you need to add that in yourself.
But there are also soft costs, which you don’t think about if you’ve never built your own home. Expenses like building application fees, architect fees, engineer fees, municipal permits, soil tests, appraisals and inspections.
And what about the land you’re building on? Do you already own it or do you have to buy it? Has it been surveyed? Does it need to be graded? Does it need servicing, like hydro, gas or connecting it to a water source and sewer system?
What about the soil? Is it rocky or more like clay? Getting the site prepared for the contractor to start building can boost the price another $20,000. I’ve seen it happen.
Building your own home can get expensive quickly, which is why most people turn to construction financing, or construction loans. Some homeowners might even use construction financing if they’re doing a major renovation, like an addition. But construction financing is different from a mortgage.
With a mortgage, you receive all the money you’re borrowing from the bank in one lump sum. This happens when you get the title to your property.
But with construction financing, most banks don’t hand over a bunch of money for you to start building your home: they give it to you in parts at different stages of the build. These payments are called advances, and depending on the bank the terms of the loan might be different.
The first advance is given to you at the end of the “rough-in” stage — usually that means the foundation, subfloor, framing, sheathing and roof are done, and all the electrical and plumbing has been roughed-in.
The second advance is given at the end of the “drywall” stage — that’s when the exterior is finished, all the windows are in and the heating systems have been installed.
The third and last advance is handed over at the end of the “completed” stage. That’s when all the finished interior doors and flooring have been installed, and all the carpentry, heating, electrical and plumbing is done. It’s at this point that your house can qualify for an occupancy permit.
A portion of the advance is kept as a lien holdback, in case there are any deficiencies or unfinished work. How much depends on the province you live in. But most lien holdbacks are about 10 per cent — in Manitoba it’s 7.5 per cent whereas in New Brunswick and PEI it’s 20 per cent.
But if the first advance is given only at the end of the rough-in stage, who pays for everything up until that point?
You do.
One of the first things homeowners learn about construction financing is that you need your own money to get the project started, which is often a big surprise.
You’re expected to cover all costs incurred up until the rough-in stage, including all land costs, costs to get the area serviced, getting the foundation, subfloor, framing, sheathing and roof done and getting all the electrical and plumbing roughed-in. That works out to about 35 per cent of the total cost of the build.
On top of that, some banks will recommend you have another 15 per cent to cover any unexpected costs. So in total, you should have close to 50 per cent of the total cost in your bank account before the first shovel hits the ground. That’s a lot.
Building your own home is rewarding, but it’s also a ton of work. You need to take your time and do it right to avoid a financial and construction nightmare. Construction financing is a great tool. But make no mistake — it’s not a handout. Use it wisely.
Catch Mike Holmes in his new series, Holmes Makes It Right Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on HGTV. For more information, visit hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

On July 5, Mike Holmes addressed the WorldSkills Leaders forum in Leipzig, Germany. After giving a little biographical information about himself and his shows, he discussed the importance of making the skilled trades appealing to young people. Due to a lack of interest by the youth in the skilled trades, there is an impending shortage of skilled tradespeople in the coming years. The WorldSkills competition is all about touching, feeling, and smelling the passion for the trades, and Mike argues that a great way to inspire young people would be televise the competition. He feels that if the Olympics can work on television, so can WorldSkills, and he believes that it could become even bigger than the Olympics.

After his address, Mike was presented with a special edition WorldSkills gold medal and was given the honor of becoming an official WorldSkills Ambassador.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Here's an article I found from the High River Times about Mike Holmes' visit to High River, Alberta on Friday. While there, Mike addressed a crowd of people at the rodeo grounds, doing what he could to lift people's spirits. He reassured them that although the cleanup effort would take time and patience, things would get better. He stressed the importance of safety and following the prompts of the officials in charge of the relief efforts. Mike posted several pictures from his tour of the flood-ravaged areas on his Facebook page, spurring many people to post their thanks and gratitude for his visit. Mike has publicly stated that he has made a donation to the Canadian Red Cross, and has urged others to do the same. During his address to the people of High River, he praised relief organizations such as the Red Cross and the Salvation Army for their hard work.

One interesting tidbit from the article I'd like to highlight... Mike will apparently be making it right for one lucky family, and has something up his sleeve for 500 more families.

"Holmes said he couldn’t fix everyone’s home, but that he’s here to make it right for one family and help up to 500 other homes through a contractor package he’s developing.He said High River will see a lot of him and that it’s going to take a lot of money and the right people to make the worst situation to ever hit High River right again."

For more information about Mike's trip to High River, please refer to previous Holmes Spot blog entries:

Holmes on High River

KEVIN RUSHWORTH HIGH RIVER TIMES/QMI AGENCY. Mike Holmes, star of television's Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection, visited High River in an attempt to give people tips and start to make things right.

By Kevin Rushworth
EDITOR

Mike Holmes, star of television’s Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspections, brought his straight forward, no bones about it, matter of fact contractor skills that have made him famous to flood-ravaged High River Saturday night.
Though ‘making it right’ is going to take a lot of work, the right licensed officials, Holmes said it’s going to take one thing from residents—patience.
As part of the information session held at the rodeo grounds Saturday night, Holmes uplifted the audience, got them cheering, laughing and learning that things will be better.
“You need a proper green light from the right officials who say it’s safe to go back to your home,” Holmes said. “Do what’s necessary to take care of (yourself) and your loved ones around you. That’s all you can do.”
Holmes, who taped a show on the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, told the crowd it took six weeks to pump out the lower ninth ward of New Orleans.
“From what I see, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the emergency response team that came in, I am so impressed with everything they’ve done,” he said, receiving a huge cheer from the crowd.
On Saturday, July 13, Holmes said he was in both Calgary and the worst hit regions of High River. He said he has a lot of concerns.
“When there’s devastation from a flood like this one, there’s more to follow, “ he said. “It’s the aftermath, it’s the crazy world of displacing people, it’s the things you’ve lost in your home.”
However, he said the largest problems come from the stage of trying to fix the problems at hand.
“Let’s talk about mold,” he said, addressing the crowd. “How many people here think their houses have mold that have been soaked.”
After waiting for countless hands to rise in the grandstand, Holmes said mold grows after 24 hours. It’s been 22 days since some residents have seen their homes.
“Do not use bleach and you know what, you’re not even supposed to touch it,” Holmes said. “The rule of thumb and it’s not my rule, it’s a bylaw, is that anything over 10 square feet must be cleaned by guys licensed to do this.”
Holmes asked the crowd whether or not they thought the situation would be solved in weeks, months or years to which the crowd shouted out ‘years.’
“Years,” he said. “It’s going to take patience from you; it’s going to take a team of people from the government and everyone else to make this right.”
He said he witnessed homes having electricity when all of the panels had been underwater only days before.
“Your electricity should not be turned on until a licensed electrical contractor signs off on it,” he said.
When it came down to cleaning out basements and even first floors, Holmes said almost everything in the basement must be turfed due to the toxicity of the material.
“From every bad comes a good and you have to realize this,” he said. “We can make the best of this. Right now, your families are safe.”
For those who are dealing with the most severely damaged, mold infested homes, he warned people about returning home.
“For those in the green area, that’s of much better shape than those in the red area,” he said. “You need to be careful to hire the right people.”
Holmes said he couldn’t fix everyone’s home, but that he’s here to make it right for one family and help up to 500 other homes through a contractor package he’s developing.
He said High River will see a lot of him and that it’s going to take a lot of money and the right people to make the worst situation to ever hit High River right again.
The High River Times caught up with Mike Holmes after his address to the crowd and he stressed the importance of patience.
“They shouldn’t go back into the house until they have a green light from someone who knows what their doing in the business,” he said.
“Until it’s an actual licensed company that has mold abatement clears that house or works through an insurance company, no one should enter that house,” he explained.
He said he felt the emergency operations team had performed admirably keeping people out of their unsafe homes.
When asked about tips for the clean-up, he said people must carefully consider each and every step taken from making sure homes were safe, salvaging items and ultimately, hiring contractors.
“Anyone can just come in,” he said, referring to poor contractors. “You have to check their licenses. Don’t move quickly, go slow. Every single person here must move slowly in every direction.”
Though he said he understands the emotions of losing everything, he said people have to take their lives into consideration.
“If everyone’s alive from this one, that’s a really good thing,” Holmes said. “The clean-up is going to take a long time and patience is going to be the number one thing people need. Without it, things are going to be ugly and that’s not good.”

Sunday, July 14, 2013

On July 12, Mike Holmes addressed a small but enthusiastic crowd in High River, Alberta. High River was one of the areas in Alberta severely affected by the June 20th floods which displaced over 100,000 people in the surrounding area. He spoke about the importance of having patience with the cleanup effort, he compared the catastrophe to the one in New Orleans with Hurricane Katrina, and he encouraged families to stay safe and not go back into their flooded homes.

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Yesterday, Mike Holmes announced that he was in High River, Alberta touring some of the devastated areas. A few hours later, he posted some pictures on his Facebook page of the carnage. There are also some photos from several news and internet sites cropping up. Here's what the Holmes Spot has found:

By the way, if you go to Mike's Facebook page and read some of the comments and conversations posted on these photos, it's very interesting and touching. The mix is about 95 percent positive comments, and 5 percent posted by people with huge chips on their shoulders. It's just sad that so many people who would never open their wallets or lift a finger to help these people have so much trash to talk. The same people accusing Mike of trying to drum up publicity are the same people who would have raked him over the coals had he not come down to help. Mike should be commended for what he's doing in working to help his fellow countrymen, and generally he is.

The Holmes Spot would like to send our sincerest thoughts and prayers to the people affected by the flood. We encourage people to donate to reputable charities and organizations (such as those listed below) to help the victims in Alberta.